The Daughter of Death: The Underworld's Weakness
by imnotgoodwithusernames1234
Summary: Princess Ariadne never got to think she was normal, but what happens when she finds herself dying for her friends. Maybe her father gave her a second chance, but how is missing two thousand years a chance? To clear any confusion the first couple of chapters take place in ancient Greece and the rest will take place after the Giant war.
1. I Am A Monster

The Daughter of Death: The Underworld's weakness

Chapter one: I am a monster

I am Ariadne, the Daughter of Death. This is my story.

I was sitting on the palace steps. Yes I said palace, I grew up a Grecian princess in Corinth. I was sitting and thinking. I had done that quite a lot since I turned eight and my world fell apart. I'm thirteen now and I've lived most of my life without friends since the incident. I had been playing tag with all the palace children on my eighth birthday. I was it and I quickly tagged a boy. He fell down and started to cough and cry. All the children screamed for help, so only I heard the boy's last words, "You're a monster." And for five years I believed him. Kids and adults alike avoided me. The only ones that stayed were my father and my tutor. Okay let me back up. He isn't my real father. He was married to my mother a princess, and when she died in childbirth with me he took me in. I've always known my true parentage. My tutor is the smartest person in the world. She has pretty blond hair and startling gray eyes. Her name is Cassia. She is three years older than me at sixteen. I stood up off the steps realizing I was late for my lesson. As I walked in her mouth dropped. I looked myself over. Nothing was strange. My pitch black hair was in place. My dark black eyes were normal. Same with my scarily pale skin. Then I realized that's what she looks like when she has an idea. "Thantos," she whispered, "You're the child of Death." I couldn't help crying. My only friend had figured out my secret. She was going to hate me now if she hadn't already. Her face turned pale. "Why are you still here?" I screamed, "Why aren't you running away from me? That kid I killed was right I am a monster!" She looked sad but she looked me in the eyes and said, "You don't choose your parents." I looked her at her shocked, "Are you a Half-Blood?" She nodded. "Ari," she said quietly, "My father looked over the body, and that boy had a disease that would've killed him within a week anyway." I got angry, "He could've used that time to say goodbye! I could at least seem like a normal human!" She looked mad, "We don't have time for this," She said, "We have to get to Camp Half-Blood. You need to see Chiron." I nodded all anger gone, "Let's go to Camp. I'll tell my dad."

**(A/N I'm sorry this is so short. Please review. Read my other stories. I will give you blue cookies (::) (::).)**


	2. A Warm Welcome (Kind of)

Chapter 2: A Warm Welcome (Kind of)

My head was spinning. Not because of the twelve cabins or the big house. Not because of the centaur or all the demigods. But because none of the demigods seemed scared as they saw me on the hill. They saw another demigod not a monster. Just wait until they find out who my father is, then I'll be a monster again. My face turned sad as Cassia walked me up the hill. The centaur Chiron was the first to speak, "Cassia welcome back, and this must be Ariadne." I smiled because he hadn't called me princess Ariadne. "Call me Ari," I said and he smiled. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood Ari." A boy came running at top speed up the hill and kissed Cassia on the lips. When I got over my shock I actually looked at him. He had black hair and sea green eyes. After a couple seconds I coughed very loudly. "Oh," Cassia said and blushed, "This is Ari. Ari this is my boyfriend Priam." I nodded, "Nice to meet you Priam." He held out a hand to shake, but I scampered away quickly. "Um uh," I stuttered. "Ari," Cassia consoled me, "You can trust Priam. He's a Seaweed Brain sometimes, but you can trust him." I nodded and looked around to see that Chiron had left. I took a breath, "I'm the Daughter of Death. I kill everyone and anything I touch." Priam frowned, "Daughter of Hades?" I shook my head and his frown got deeper. Cassia whispered something in his ear and he turned pale. "Oh," was all he said, but I was getting used to that. I heard a horn blow in the distance and Priam lit up. "Dinner," he said with a huge smile on his face. Great, I thought more people to not touch. "So," I said conversationally, "Where did you get the nickname Seaweed Brain." He smiled, "Son of Poseidon." Cassia rolled her eyes, "That and the fact that you are an idiot with a head full of kelp." He laughed and kissed her. We walked into the dining pavilion and I quickly realized I couldn't sit at Hermes table without touching someone. Chiron cleared his throat, "You may sit here Ari." I nodded and shuffled my feet over to the head table. A girl from the Ares cabin stood up and yelled, "Determined or Undetermined?" I flinched and looked at Cassia to answer over at the Athena table. "Undetermined." She called over the pavilion with an angry stare towards the Ares table. After dinner we all stood up to go to campfire and the Ares girl came up to me. "Have fun in Hermes for life." If only she knew, all it would take was a grab to her arm and she would die. I ignored her and ran up to Cassia. She scowled and said, "Ari the thing about the gods is that they um they don't usually care about us. Fewer than fifty percent of demigods actually get claimed, but I'm sure you will since," she whispered the next part, "Since you already know who it is." I nodded and hoped that she would be wrong. That my father would never claim me. Well luck isn't really my thing. I sat down next to Cassia and soon Priam sat on my other side. Weird he didn't sit next to Cassia I thought. But then I realized it would stop people from bumping into me. Great another person scared I'll hurt his friends. The boy sitting in front of me gave me a strange and very long stare. Everyone sang and had a good time, but I didn't. I knew it was coming. The symbol appeared over my head. The symbol of Thanatos. The symbol of Death.


	3. Nikias

Chapter 3: Nikias

This time I was ready for the screams. I was ready for the people slowly backing away and for the ones running. I was ready for all the stares. The only one besides Cassia and Priam not to scream or run was the strange boy who had sat in front of me. "Just great," I heard the Ares girl remark, "Another Death kid," The boy snarled, "You can only hope that the fields of Asphodel are the worst fate you receive. Making the Son of Hades mad is not smart." It sounded like everyone thought badly about the Hades boy. Cassia was next to speak up, "No matter her parentage her father clearly cares more than most of your parents." About half the kids looked really embarrassed and left. The other half snarled and rolled their eyes before going back to their cabins. Chiron trotted up to me, "You may stay in the big house tonight." I nodded and turned to the kid, "What's your name?" He looked me in the eyes, "I am Nikias." I smiled at him, "Well thank you Nik." Before he could say anything Priam cleared his throat, "Nik you didn't tell me you were coming for a visit." Nik smiled, "I picked the right night huh?" Priam and Cassia laughed. Priam's face suddenly turned serious again, "Can I talk to you Ari?" The look on his face told me it wasn't a question. I nodded and waited until we were out of earshot to say, "You're going to tell me to get out of here and not hurt your friends, or you're going to tell me I'm a monster. I've heard both." His face saddened, but it wasn't because he was insulted it looked more like he felt sorry for me. "Actually no. I just wanted to tell you Nik has had a hard life and to not ask him too many questions." My mouth dropped, "So you're not scared of me." He shook his head, "I'm the best sword fighter of the century. I've met the Olympian council. I've been to the Underworld and back. There isn't much I'm afraid of." I nodded and smiled, "Friends?" He smiled back, "Friends." We laughed and I said, "Well I would shake your hand but you know." He cracked a huge smile, "I think I'm going to like you Ariadne." We walked back to Cassia and Priam with huge smiles plastered on our faces just in time to hear Cassia say, "Just don't ask her to many questions. She's had a hard life." Nik nodded then seemed to notice we were there. "Hey," he said with an awkward smile plastered on his face. "I'll show you to the big house." Nik said, "I'm staying there tonight too." I nodded not sure what to say as we walked side by side to the four story building on the other side of camp. Ignoring Priam's advice I asked, "So Priam mentioned that you'd had a hard life. If you don't mind could you tell me what he meant?" He sighed but didn't seem angry, "My sister died when I was ten and I've lived in the Underworld since then." I was shocked and stupidly mumbled, "At least you're not a murderer." He raised an eyebrow but didn't look scared, "That I don't believe." I got angry, "Well you should! I killed an innocent little boy that had nothing to do with any of this!" We were at the big house by then and he didn't say anything as he showed me to an empty room. I lied down on my bed and mumbled a nursery rhyme my dad had taught me.

_Hush hush you never know_

_Just when the worst of you will show_

_Just bring the best out they will see_

_The person that you call me_

There was more to it, but that's the part I remembered. Suddenly I heard a voice say, "You have a beautiful singing voice." I sat straight up and there was the Son of Hades, "How did you get in?" I asked amazed. He smiled, "Shadow travel, It's a Hades thing." I smiled back, "Nik I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier I should've…" I trailed off. He gave me a reassuring look that I would've never thought could come from a Son of Hades, "Hey it's okay you're safe now, and these guys can get used to anything. They will learn to live with you." I wanted to get mad, but I couldn't, "Nik I want to be able to touch someone. I want to be normal not just dealt with. I don't want to be a Daughter of Death." He smiled, "Goodnight Ariadne I will see you tomorrow," and then he disappeared. I fell asleep, but I sure didn't get any rest.

**(A/N so what do you guys think. Tell me truthfully I want to know. (::)(::)(::) blue cookies for all!)**


	4. Blond-Haired Boy

Chapter 4: Blond-haired boy

I dreamt of war. I saw fighting all around me, but I focused on one target. I saw myself run at a boy with blond hair and blue eyes. I saw myself grab him by his arm. I watched him die, but somehow when I looked at the boy's body I didn't feel sad, or scared. No I felt angry. Then my dream shifted. I saw my father and he said, "My dear child. I am here to apologize ahead of time. You don't deserve the life I gave you. Ariadne you will be a hero someday after much loss and little gain. I snapped awake breathing heavily. I told myself I would never tell anyone about that dream. I heard a knock at the door. "Ari?" Cassia asked, "Are you awake?" I wanted to tell her so badly about that blond-haired boy, but the words couldn't come out of my mouth. So instead I said, "Yes, I'm awake." She opened the door and sat down on the end of my bed. Tell her, I thought, she might know what it means. The word stayed caught in my throat. "Good night rest?" She asked, and something forced me to tell her. "No," I said honestly, "Not at all." She didn't look surprised In fact she said, "Demigod dreams are very common. What was it about?" I gulped fearing I would cry, "War." I answered simply, "I dreamt I killed someone." The dream about my father stayed in my throat and I decided I couldn't tell anyone about that. Her gray eyes softened, "That doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. It could mean anything." But it sounded like she was reassuring herself more than me. We sat in silence until she said, "Let's get some breakfast." I nodded and we walked downstairs together. I sat at the head table because I had nowhere else to sit. Once I stepped into the pavilion no one spoke. They all hate me, I thought. I eat breakfast and decide to just sit and wait for Cassia to finish. All of a sudden Priam ran into the pavilion with a wild look in his eyes and yelled, "Councilor meeting now!" Even Chiron didn't question it. I went into the meeting with the councilors because I was technically councilor of the nonexistent Thanatos cabin. No one even noticed me as I sat down in between Cassia and Nik. Priam was standing pacing back and forth like deciding how to break some news. "Priam, why have you called us here?" Chiron finally questioned. "Romans." He answered without a second's hesitation. "Romans are advancing towards camp, and I have a feeling it's not to make smores." I bit my lip and told myself now was the time to tell them about my dream, but it didn't happen. The councilors decided to get ready to defend camp. Everyone else had left to get their cabins suited up, so it was just Nik and I. "Nik?" I asked, "I had a dream last night. In it I… I… I killed someone. I'm afraid that it might actually happen." He smiled at me and seeming as if on sudden impulse leaned forward and kissed me. "NIK!" I yelled, "That could kill you," He smiled brighter, "You can't get rid of me that easily." Realizing he was okay I rolled my eyes, "Come on. We have a war to fight." He drew a pitch black sword from his belt, "Ya we do." I thought about what my father had said, I couldn't lose Nik could I? No, I told myself, I won't let it happen. I ran to where the Athena cabin and found Cassia. "Cassia, could you find me a sword?" I asked. She nodded and we ran to the armory. "You can find something right Ari?" She ran off back to her cabin. I picked up sword after sword nothing fitting quite right in my hands. Then I noticed a black sword sitting in the back that was similar to Nik's. It was Stygian Iron. I'm not sure how I know that, but I do. It fit in my hand as if it was made for me. I studied it closely and noticed an engraving that said, _Death is more than just dying._ I suddenly knew it had been made for me. "Thank you father," I muttered before running out of the armory. I found Priam standing with his siblings in front of their cabin. I quickly realized it was one of the biggest groups I had seen at camp. "Aren't you going to introduce me," I joked, but his face hardened. "I would, but even I can't remember everyone's name." I knew he wasn't serious just bitter. I mean there had to be at least thirty Poseidon kids, some of them very close in age. How would it feel knowing that your father moved on from you and your mother that quickly? I suddenly realized Cassia had been right when she yelled at everyone at the campfire. My father really did care more than most of the gods. Maybe it was because he wasn't an Olympian, or maybe just thought I was useful. No matter what I felt grateful. Until I remembered what he had said, Ariadne you will be a hero someday after much loss and little gain. I mean what kind of dad tells you, you're going to lose a lot, but it's okay you'll be a hero. I heard a horn blow and something told me it was time. I ran to the top of the hill to see the Romans approaching. And leading them was the blond-haired boy.

**(A/N so what did you think. Please tell me I not getting any reviews. Blue cookies? (::)(::)(::).)**


	5. So Much Loss

Chapter 5: So Much Loss

I must have frozen because the next thing I know Nik is screaming in my ear, "Ari! Ari!" I blink and turn to him, "That's the boy I killed in my dream." He seemed shocked, and I turned back to see the Romans much closer than before. Much loss that's what my father said. Little gain, were his words. I ran towards the Romans and heard a familiar voice say, "Run now." I turned to see my dad with a knife to his throat. No not Thanatos the one who raised me. "Dad? What…" I looked at the boy who held the knife. He wasn't the blond one, but I was just about ready to kill him. The rest of camp burst into fighting, but all I saw was my dad. The blond-haired one walked toward my dad and put his sword tip to my dad's throat. "Surrender or else." The boy stated calmly. I saw my father shaking his head. My choice was to save my father or the camp. Looking into my father's eyes I knew he would never forgive me for not saying what I said. "Like that will ever happen." My dad laughed his last laugh before the blond-haired boy killed him. I knew suddenly what my dream had meant and I charged the boy. I grabbed his arm and pushed him onto the ground. I watched him die with fear in his eyes. Anger rose inside me. My dad the man who never left me even after I became a monster was dead. That was unforgivable. I ran to join the rest of the fighting with tears in my eyes. I went to find Cassia and Priam. An archer shot an arrow right at Cassia just as I reached them. Priam was too quick though he jumped in front of his girlfriend and was hit by the arrow in the chest. He kissed her before dying quickly. She looked shell-shocked and I ran towards her. "Cassia," I screamed, "You have to live! That's what Priam wanted!" she snapped back into reality and nodded, "For Priam." For dad, I thought. We slashed and hacked through the Romans. I probably killed many with my touch. We fought like we had been training together for years. Cassia, I thought, is now the only person who cares about me. She knows me. She taught me for two years since I was eleven and my old tutor decided that I was too scary to teach. I remembered the first day I met her.

I walked into the classroom expecting another old man who would quickly decide I was too creepy to teach. Instead I got a fourteen year old girl. "Hi Ariadne," she had said, "I'm Cassia your new tutor." I had rolled my eyes and said, "I'm guessing a week" She had looked confused and said, "A week of what?" "That's how long I think you'll last before you run away screaming." "Now why would I do that?" she had said, and I reached out and put my hand on the closest plant in the room. It withered away before our eyes and Cassia had given me a look of sorrow and said, "I'm not afraid of you Ari, I pity you." Eleven year old me hadn't been very bright so I asked, "What does pity mean?" She half-smiled at that and said, "Pity means I feel sorry for you." I had nodded and said, "Can you pity yourself?" She had nodded. "Well I don't because I don't deserve pity. Not a monster like me." I said. She had smiled again and said, "A monster would have done that little trick on me not the plant. You aren't a monster just unlucky." I had shaken my head, "No I'm too lucky for a monster. I have an awesome daddy and the greatest tutor in the world." She had smiled and said, "Well then let's get started."

I snapped out of my memories, and looked at Cassia besides me. She wasn't the same. She didn't have that glow in her eyes or the huge smile on her face. I watched her charge into battle and realized I still had Nik. Nik the boy who kissed me. Nik who stood up for me in front of everyone. And I was really glad I still had Nik when I saw a sword pierce Cassia body. I was glad for Nik as I said to her, "I will win this. For Priam." I was sad as I watched my oldest friend suffer. Suddenly she grabbed my hand and said, "I'm going to die anyway. It might as well be holding my best friends hand." I cried as she continued with, "This is a gift not a curse. I get to see Priam sooner." I cried as she died. Suddenly I knew Nik was standing next to me. He looked at her body and said, "She's going to be happy with Priam." I nodded and stood up. I kissed him before saying, "In case we die." Suddenly I felt a pain in my chest and fell down onto the ground. I looked at my chest and saw an arrow lodged in. I knew I would die and Nik knew it too. He leaned over and kissed me. "Don't leave me this easily." He began to cry. "Goodbye Nik." I said. I started to lose conciseness, and my last thought was. So much loss.

**(A/N Aww I just hurt my own feels. If I hurt your feels review. Review or else I'll make more people die.)**


	6. Should Be Dead

Chapter six: Should be dead

As soon as I lost consciousness I heard a familiar voice say, "My child, do you see what it meant. You lost so much and have little to gain in the future."

I blinked, "Wait what? Aren't I dead?"

He shook his head, "You were born at the wrong time my child. You will be needed someday. The next time Romans step on the soil of Camp Half-Blood you will begin to wake. It may take to time to fully awake as you are in a very deep rest."

"So you say that I was born to be a hero and now you tell me I'm useless." I said.

"No Ariadne, I'm saying you will be needed in the future."

"So you can save me from death, but not anyone else."

"Ari I shouldn't have told you this much. Just remember you are the Underworld's Weakness. That may help."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I yelled, but didn't get an answer.

My slumber deepened and I saw myself as a young child, and then I was with Cassia. I saw myself kissing Nik. I saw him crying over my dead body. I saw him stand and fight. I watched the boy I loved drive back the Roman's single handedly. Then I saw my mother a woman I had never met holding the hand of my father. Holding the hand of Death.

I heard my father say, "Lilian you know that the child will be the death of you. That it is impossible to bear a child of Death and survive."

She nodded, "I know."

The scene changed and it showed baby me crying. A nurse went to pick me up and fell over dead.

I saw my dad standing next to me clearly afraid.

Thanatos appeared next to him and said, "Hello Philip."

My dad's face turned to anger, "You are the reason she died. The reason her child kill everything it touches."

Thanatos a god looked ashamed and said, "I can temporarily diminish her power. She will get it when she is ready."

He put a hand on my head and said, "Goodbye Ariadne." And disappeared.

"Ariadne" my dad muttered with a small smile, "Hello Ariadne."

The scene changed again.

My dad was squeezing little me in a tight hug. I looked about seven or eight. That's when I remembered that day. The day before my eighth birthday. The day before I became a monster.

He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Just in case."

I opened my eyes. A boy was leaning over me.

"Nik?" I asked.

He looked shocked or maybe offended, "I don't know a Nik. My name is Nico Di Angelo."

I panicked, "What do you mean you don't know Nik? He's a son of Hades. Your look alike."

He scrunched an eyebrow, "Who are you?"

Suddenly I started crying. Cassia and Priam were dead. My mom and dad were dead. Nik wasn't here anymore. And I just woke up on the hill after who knows how long tormented the whole time with memories. So naturally I started crying.

"Um…" Nico stuttered, "Don't cry. Please stop crying."

That just made me cry more. Hearing the sound two familiar looking kids ran up the hill. I quickly realized why they looked familiar.

"Cassia? Priam?" I asked, "Shouldn't you be dead?"

They looked just as confused as Nik… I mean Nico had.

"Um," the Priam look alike said, "Nico who is this?"

"I have absolutely no clue." Nico replied.

The Priam look alike turned to me, "Who are you?"

I bit my lip to keep myself from crying more, "I… I am Ariadne." I stuttered

The Cassia look alike looked at me strangely, "Are you claimed?" she asked

"No." I said probably too quickly to seem truthful.

She nodded and said, "I am Annabeth, Daughter of Athena and this is Percy, Son of Poseidon. You've already met Nico, Son of Hades."

"Hades?" I asked.

Nico smiled a guilty smile, "Afraid of the Son of the Underworld?" he asked

I shook my head, "No not even in the slightest."

Annabeth looked at me strangely, "Why did you think we should be dead?"

I shook my head not saying a word about that.

"Where is Chiron? I need to speak with him." I asked.

Nico brushed some dirt off his pants and said, "I'll get him."

"Hurry." I said as he ran off.

Annabeth was still staring at me, "How old are you?"

I thought about because I had been thirteen during the battle, but had no clue how much time had passed.

I went with the simple answer, "I'm thirteen."

I heard a clop of hooves coming up the hill.

"What is this about Perc…" Chiron trailed off when he saw me.

"Ari you…" he stuttered, "you should be dead."


	7. I Thought I Killed You

Chapter 7: I thought I killed you

"Of course I should be dead." I said, "How long has it been?"

"Come inside," Chiron said, "I will tell you anything you want to know in private."

"Are you afraid of me Chiron?" I asked.

"No," he said, "I'm worried some of our campers might be though."

"Wait, wait, wait." Percy said, "Why would anyone be afraid of you?"

I smiled a little and put one hand on the grass. The grass began to wither and die beneath my hand. I concentrated harder and a large section of the grass died.

"Oh," Percy said.

Chiron led me down the hill and toward the big house. We were walking past a group of kids when one boy caught my eye. He had blond hair and blue eyes. No way, I thought, I killed him myself.

Blondie stepped out of the group and asked, "Who's this?"

I growled, "I thought I killed you."

He backed away hands in the air and said, "Look I never met you before so…"

"What are you doing here Roman?" I cut him off.

"Ari!" Chiron yelled, "Jason may be a Roman, but he is not that Roman. Please leave him be."

Jason raised an eyebrow, "Who's that Roman?"

I snarled, "None of your business blondie."

"ARI!" Chiron yelled, "Big House now."

I rolled my eyes, "Fine."

I stomped the rest of the way to the Big House. Annabeth was whispering something in Percy's ear and Nico was swinging his arm the whole time. When we got there I sat down in his office.

"So?" I asked, "Are you going to answer my first question now? How long?"

I could tell from his eyes that I wasn't going to like what he said, "Nearly two thousand."

Annabeth was staring at me just like Cassia had.

"STOP THAT!" I yelled.

"Stop what?" she asked

"Staring at me. It…it…it." I burst into tears again.

Percy went to pat me on the back or maybe give me a hug, but luckily I jumped out of the way quickly enough.

"What in the Underworld are you thinking?" I screamed at him, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

He looked completely confused, "Um… no?"

"Eh hem," Chiron said, "Ari are you going to be alright?

"You're kidding right?" I said, "Oh I just lost everyone that's anyone to me and found out it happened two thousand years ago. I'm perfectly fine."

Percy's mouth dropped, "Two thousand ye…years," he stuttered

Annabeth looked angry, "Chiron just said that Percy."

"No he didn't," Percy continued to argue, "He didn't say years just two thousand."

"Oh so he need to say years to…" She was cut off by Percy kissing her.

I suddenly cried seeing them kiss. Nik had… he had… I mean he had… he kissed me! Cassia and Priam had kissed! Now they were all dead.

"Dead." I muttered aloud, "Should be dead. Should be with Nik."

Chiron's face dropped, "Ariadne don't think like that. Nik would be happy to see you alive. This is a second chance."

"A second chance!" I screamed, "How is missing two thousand years a chance! How is losing Cassia and Priam, Losing both my parents, losing Nik a chance!?"

Chiron looked scared. I cried all anger gone. I need to stop crying, I thought, Nik would want me to be happy. So I stopped crying.

"Chiron?" I asked, "Why? Why would my father do such a thing?"

"Huh?" Percy asked, "Didn't you say your dad was dead?"

"Yes," I nodded, "My dad is dead. My father is a god."

He looked confused, but Annabeth looked suspicious.

"I thought you were unclaimed, but you just said you know who your father is?" She asked

I nodded and turned back to Chiron, "Why?" I asked simply.

"I do not know Ariadne. I do not even begin to understand your father." Chiron stated simply.

I swore Greek curses at I don't know who. I was mad at my father. Mad at Chiron. Mad at all these kids I met today. Mad at my stupid messed up life.

"ARI!" Chiron yelled before calming down, "Ari you need to stay calm. I'm sorry to say this, but we can't afford any accidents."

I swore heavily at him, "SO ANOTHER LIE! ANOTHER PERSON SCARED OF ME!" I started crying, "Another person who hates me."

Nico who had been so quiet I had forgotten he was there said, "Maybe we should all go have something to eat. She needs time to calm down after all she's gone through."

Chiron nodded, "Yes that is a good idea Mr. Di Angelo."

But somehow that even caused me to cry, "That's the last place I saw them all alive and happy." I said through tears.

Nico bit her lip, "Chiron is her father who I think?"

Chiron nodded and Annabeth asked, "WHO?"

Nico nodded and said, "She can sit at my table then."

Chiron nodded again, "If anyone asks say she is unclaimed and has permission to sit there."

Nico smiled and said to me, "Come on you must be starving."

I had to smile back with tears in my eyes, "Ya that would be great."

When we got to the dining pavilion the boy named Jason ran up to Chiron and said, "Why did she say she killed me? Why were you with her in your office all day? What is going on?"

Chiron just shook his head, "You will see in time my boy. I do know after the last war you feel like you need all the answers, but this is one you can't have."

He gave me a look of disgust and ran towards the empty Zeus table. That's when I realized it.

"Chiron?" I asked, "Where all the other Zeus and Poseidon children?"

He gave me a sad look and said, "They don't exist. You see a couple hundred years ago a prophecy was given that a child of the big three could destroy the world. So the three brother swore on the River Styx not to have any children. They didn't keep the oath, but that is why there are not many of them."

I said nothing else and Nico showed me to the Hades table where a pretty dark-skinned girl sat.

"Oh." She said surprised as I sat down, "Nico who is this?"

He gave a sad look and said, "She is unclaimed and has permission to sit here. I'm sorry Hazel that is all I can tell you."

She gave a look that I thought meant she wanted to get mad, "Nico, you and your secrets. After the rather big one I thought you could tell me anything."

"Hazel please. I'm sorry, but Chiron said we aren't allowed to talk about."

I got mad, "And I agree with him. You see I don't like people snooping around my life so leave me alone."

Her expression changed to something I didn't recognize and she said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad. You didn't do anything wrong. I just have had a bad life recently. Actually also not recently, but it is recently." She cut off with a sad look.

"We are Half-Bloods." I said, "A good life doesn't exist for us."

Suddenly her face lit up and she said, "I'm being rude I haven't asked your name. I'm Hazel"

I smiled, "Nice to meet you Hazel. I'm Ari."

When we all stood up to get food she whispered something in the ear of an Ares boy and he laughed. I studied his face and thought to myself that it looked to babyish to belong to a child of Ares. We sat down not talking for a few minutes.

I broke the silence with, "So Hazel you are a Daughter of Hades?"

I hadn't meant it as a real question. But she shook her head.

"No, I'm Roman. The Daughter of Pluto." She said.

My eyes opened wide and my mouth dropped. It took a minute for me to say, "A Roman? You? But you are so nice."

She looked offended so I said, "I'm sorry, but my experience with Romans has not been a good one."

Her expression softened a little, but she still looked annoyed.

"I understand," she said, "It took a long time, but the two camps finally came to an alliance. There are quite a few Romans around here now. Me, Jason, my boyfriend Frank, and about ten you haven't met are here. About the same amount went to Camp Jupiter."

I quietly muttered a Greek curse, but somehow Hazel heard me. She looked confused now not angry.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly.

"Who am I?" I repeated, "I don't know who I am anymore." I cried, "Who is Ariadne?"

Nico cleared his throat, "You are a demigod Ari. A hero. A girl who has lost so much, but came through."

I got angry, "YOU MET ME TODAY. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?"

He stayed calm even though the entire Camp glanced over, "Easy. I spoke to Nik."

I cried and without another word ran out of the pavilion. I ran toward the lake. I don't know why, but it seemed like the right place to sit and cry.

"Hey." I heard a voice behind me say.

I turned around and saw Hazel leaning against a tree.

"Ari," she said calmly, "You have clearly been through a lot. We all have. I've been dead. I was a pawn of Gaea. Nico lost his first sister. He went through hell alone. He led us to the doors of Death and almost closed them before… before our friend Coach Hedge, a satyr, closed them. Percy saved Olympus twice. He returned Zeus's stolen bolt. He held the sky. He survived the Labyrinth. He turned down being a god. He and Annabeth survived hell itself. Frank, Percy, and I went to the land beyond the gods to free Death. We…"

"Wait," I cut her off, "Free Death, like Thanatos right?"

She nodded, "Yes why?"

I couldn't keep a secret any longer, so I said, "I am the Daughter of Death. You freed my Father."

Out of nowhere I heard a rustle of leaves and saw Jason run out of a bush towards the pavilion.

"I wish he was the one I killed." I muttered to myself.

**(A/N if I don't get reviews I will be mad. This is the longest chapter I have ever written for any story. Please, Please, Please Review. Oh and read my other stories. Sorry I haven't posted in three whole days. Thanks.)**


	8. I Almost Kill The Son Of Jupiter

Chapter 8: I almost kill the Son of Jupiter

I swore under my breath. Hazel seemed to understand that I didn't want the entire camp to know about this.

"Jason," Hazel screamed, "Jason Grace get back here now."

He turned around and stopped running, but didn't come closer.

"Why shouldn't everyone know that the new girl is a murderer? You said you thought you killed me that must mean you killed someone. And you are the Daughter of Death." He said.

Before Hazel could calm him down I cut in with, "Okay you're right I have killed someone. Two someones to be exact, but you are a Roman. Have you not killed and murdered everyone like Romans always have?"

He looked like he had a witty remark, but I cut in again with, "Do you want to know why I killed that boy? Do you really want to know Son of Jupiter?"

I'm not sure how I knew his parentage, but it seemed right, "I killed a murderer. He killed… He killed…"

I finally broke down and began to cry again.

He steps closer to me and on instinct I punch him in the face. Then I realized what I did.

"Oh gods of Olympus." I yelled, "I just killed you."

He fell down and started to shake and scream. Luckily Hazel had an idea.

"Get him to the golden fleece," she screamed and picked up Jason.

We ran up the hill toward the huge tree. She lifted the boy up until he touched the fleece. After a moment he started to breathe again. He stopped shaking. He got down taking heavy breaths.

"I am so sorry Jason." I said quietly.

"Sorry? Sorry?" He screamed, "You could have killed me."

By now the screaming had attracted the entire camp to come to the hill.

"Ari, is he…" he trailed off, but I understood.

"He will be alright." I said, "I'm going to bed."

I stormed off towards the Big House, but Nico ran after me.

"Ari you can stay in the Hades cabin tonight if you want."

I stared him down and said, "Why? Why don't you understand? Why don't you get that I am hated here? You will never know what it feels like to be hated by everyone."

He smiled and in that moment he looked so much like Nik, "I do understand. When I came to camp my sister joined the hunters. She went on a quest and she… she never came back. I ran away. I thought everyone was there to hurt me. I even thought Percy was there to hurt me because he promised to keep my sister safe on that quest. I don't stay here a lot. I spend more time with the dead than the living. Most people here are afraid of me or hate me all because I am the Son of Hades."

I was a little confused, but feeling better.

"What do you mean your sister never came back? I met her today." I asked

He shook his head tears in his eyes, "I meant my full sister, Bianca. She died. I found Hazel and brought her to Camp Jupiter. I only met her very recently."

"Where?" I felt the need to ask, "Where exactly did you meet her?"

He looked nervous but said, "The Underworld. Hazel was dead."

"Let's go to your cabin," I said, "I need some rest."

I got sleep, but it was anything but restful.

I saw myself playing tag. Tapping the boy on the shoulder. I saw him die again. Then the scene changed. I was in the battle. I ran at the blond-haired boy. I grabbed his arm and pushed him down. I saw him die again. The scene changed again. I was crying. Jason stepped near me. I hit him. He fell down and started screaming. Suddenly all I saw was a familiar man dressed in black.

"Father," I said, "Why?"

He shook his head, "My child I did warn you. Or at least I tried."

"That's not what I meant." I said, "Why does everyone I touch die?"

"Because you are my daughter." He said, "Because it my help you someday."

"How?" I screamed, "How could a stupid curse help?"

He smiled, "As I told your friend Hazel and her companions in Alaska, Death has more in common with love that you might imagine. There is no fairness in Death. When people die it is their time. Except you my daughter. You died before it was your time. That is why."

"One more thing," I said, "Why do people die?"

My father smiled, "You must find the answer to that yourself. The important thing is why do people live?"

I woke up. It must be morning, but it was always dark in the Hades cabin. Nico was still snoring and Hazel was sitting on her bunk like she was thinking about something.

"Hazel?" I asked, "Are you okay?"

She snapped out of it and smiled at me, "Ready for breakfast?"

That's when I knew she was thinking about the other day. The day I almost killed the Son of Jupiter.

**(A/N Thanks for any new review, follows, or favorites. Please review. Also THE HOUSE OF HADES COMES OUT TOMMOROW. But sadly I won't get it until like the 11****th**** or something. I don't feel too bad though because I have a friend who won't get it until her birthday in DECEMBER. Thanks.)**


	9. I Hate Prophecies

Chapter 9: I Hate Prophecies

Hazel and I walked down to breakfast leaving Nico asleep in the cabin. Percy ran up to us as we approached the pavilion.

"Hey guys just wanted to tell you that there is a councilor meeting after breakfast."

Hazel smiled at him, "That's great Percy thanks."

We sat down at the table and I asked, "So does you or Nico get to go to the meeting?" She smiled, "Both of us all the Romans come to the meetings, and Nico is technically head councilor even though he is never here."

I nodded, "Cool."

We ate without speaking until Nico came with a look of fear on his face.

"Nico?" I asked, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, "I don't know. I just have a feeling something is going to happen."

After we finished eating we all walked to the Rec room for the meeting. I sat down in between Hazel and Percy. Nico sat on the other side of Hazel and Annabeth sat next to Percy.

Chiron cleared his throat at the end of the table and said, "There are only a few of us in this room that understand why we are here. Ari would you care to enlighten everyone?"

The way he said it told me it wasn't really a question. More like I was being told to explain.

"Fine," I said and stood up.

I walked to the other side of the table and grabbed a flower from in front of a girl. I put my hand on it and it wilted as the owner of the flower looked on in horror. She stood up to attack me and two identical boys pulled her back down.

"Calm down Katie," one said, "Travis help me out here."

The other boy rolled his eyes and said, "I am helping Connor. Sit Katie Sit."

"I'm not a dog." Katie snapped but sat back down.

Suddenly it began to sink in to some of the campers what had happened before Katie's outburst. Some of them began to mutter, but I am sure no one figured out exactly who my father is.

"Hades?" Travis asked.

I shook my head and said, "No my father is… my father… he is…"

I broke down crying.

Luckily Nico answered for me, "Thanatos. She is a true Daughter of Death."

The council sat in shocked silence so I dried my tears and said, "My father thought that I would be a hero. That just proves that the gods can be wrong." I scowled.

"So what do we do with the little whelp?" A girl asked.

Luckily her parentage was obvious so I said, "You are more of a whelp than I am Daughter of War."

She scowled, but didn't respond.

"You think this is a joke dont you? That I am like you able to blend in with mortals. You dont get how it feels to take a life an innocent life and be able to do nothing. You dont know what it feels like to be a murderer. You havent looked death in the eye and lived. You are nothing but a child." I said angrily

She rolled her eyes, "I defeated a drakon, retrieved the golden fleece, and had the blessing of Ares. I fought in a war."

I smirked and said, "I died."

Chiron finally broke in with, "Ari, Clarisse that is enough."

Suddenly I felt really tired. So of course I passed out. I saw myself standing over a girl. I saw myself grab her hand. Instead of screaming she smiled. Why would she smile? I couldn't hear in the dream, but what she mouthed was obvious. She said, thank you.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw my father standing behind me.

"Death isn't always a curse my child. Without Death everyone would be like the gods. They would be alive, but wouldn't be living." He said.

"Why? What is wrong with living forever? How could that be bad?" I asked.

My father smiled at me and said, "Immortality means you watch people die. Then you watch more die. For me that is more than true I see every death. I am Death. That means I live only for death. Forever. Does that really sound good?"

I shook my head and he said, "It is time for you to wake up my child. Good luck."

I snapped awake in the infirmary. Hazel was sitting by my side.

She smiled and said, "Hey you are awake in time for campfire."

"Cool," I said, "Where's Nico?"

That may sound weird, but I needed to ask the son of the underworld something.

"He was here a few minutes ago." She said.

A horn blew and she lit up, "Campfire time."

We walked to the campfire. I walked slowly wishing I didn't have to go. There were too many bad memories here. This one wasn't that bad though. We ate smores and sang and laughed. I actually enjoyed it.

Until a red headed girl in the front stood up and said in a raspy voice,

"_The Underworld's weakness shall travel west._

_To take the Roman's final breath._

_Do head out this final cry._

_Or a heart to true will finally die."_

During all of this the girl was billowing green smoke. No one was sure where to look as two kids dragged the girl onto a stool. Then I stood up.

"It's me." I said, "I am the Underworld's weakness."

Annabeth looked shocked, "How do you know that?"

"My father told me" I answered simply. "I wasn't sure why I needed to know that until now."

"I think it is time for bed," Chiron said, "We will decide about the quest in the morning."

I ran to the Hades cabin and jumped into bed before Hazel or Nico could get there. I fell asleep with one thought on my mind. I hate prophecies.

**(A/N I am so sorry that this chapter took so long. I really don't have a single excuse except I was lazy. Thanks for reading. Review I will give you Sally's blue cookies (::)(::)(::)(::).)**


	10. Angry

Chapter 10: Angry

I snapped awake having gone the night with no dreams. I stood up, got dressed and walked to the Poseidon cabin. I knocked on the door, but no one answered it. I put my ear to the door to see if Percy was awake.

All I heard was Percy mumbling, "No I won't let go of you. I love you too."

Then a bloodcurdling scream and Percy yell, "NO! NO!"

I barged in the door and Percy was shaking in his bed. I shook him until he woke up.

"Ari?" He asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry," I said and blushed, "I was outside and I heard screaming."

He nodded, "Thank you for waking me. Those seem to be happening more and more frequently."

I nodded and decided I wouldn't mention it again.

"Are you okay?" He asked, "Do you want to talk?"

I nodded, "No and yes. I wanted to ask you something actually."

"Okay," he said, "What?"

"Back then I had a friend Priam, a brother of yours, he was almost exactly like you, but more angry. He hated his father because at the time there must have been at least thirty Poseidon kids. I guess my question is how do you not hate the gods? How do you stay so together?" I said.

Percy gulped, "When I first came to camp there was a boy named Luke. A Son of Hermes. He hated the gods and resurrected Kronos. He then gave his life to take Kronos down."

"That doesn't answer my question. And it doesn't make sense. You start the story acting like he is a bad guy. Then you tell me he saved the world. So is he a villain or a hero?" I asked

Percy smiled, "What defines a person? Rashness in anger or heroics in the end. I am not angry at the gods because I leaned anger doesn't help you."

"You can't just avoid anger." I argued.

"No," he agreed, "You can't, but you can put it to good use. Let's go to breakfast now."

We walked out of the cabin, Percy still in his pajamas, and went to the pavilion. Nico was already at the Hades table so I sat down next to him.

"How are you not angry at your father?" I asked, "How do you not hate him?"

"I learned a long time ago not to hold grudges. They are my fatal flaw. So the real answer is I am and I do. I am angry at my father. I do hate him, but I try not to stay angry about it."

This boy may look like him, but Nico wasn't anything like Nik. Nik could always put a smile on your face. Nico was just gloomy. I missed Nik. I missed Cassia. I missed Priam. I knew Cassia for four years. She was my only friend. She is long since dead. I only knew Nik and Priam for two days, but Priam and I were fast friends and Nik… I loved Nik. I hadn't known him for long, but I knew I loved him.

I stood up and walked to the rec room. The meeting wouldn't start until after breakfast so I waited in here. The room was quiet and I liked it. It gave me a place to think. I remember Hazel saying she, Percy, and the guy Frank had freed my father. He probably hadn't even rewarded them for freeing him. My father didn't believe in returning favors. Not that he owed me anything.

"Ari are you okay?" a voice asked

I looked up and saw Hazel standing over me.

"Ya," I nodded, "I'm fine. Just thinking."

She frowned like she didn't believe me, but said, "What are you thinking about?"

I decided to go with the truth, "My father."

She nodded like she understood and we sat there in silence until people began coming in for the meeting. Nico sat down on the other side of me.

"Children," Chiron said, "We are here to discuss the prophecy and the quest."

"Why?" I asked, "It is pretty straightforward. I go west."

"One problem." Jason said, "Reyna said that if a demigod ever goes to California on a quest that they have to check in with her."

"Alright," Chiron said, "So Jason will go with you and also…"

"Me," Nico cut him off, "I will go. I can shadow travel us to Camp Jupiter and from there we can travel normally."

"Fine." I said, "Not happy blondie's going, but it will work."

I walked out of the Big House and Annabeth ran after me. She handed me a bag.

"Here," she said, "It is full of Nectar and Ambrosia and some Drachmas."

"Cool," I said going through the bag, "But why are the Drachmas gold?"

She looked confused for a second then seemed to realize something and said, "The gods don't like to use less than pure gold."

"Oh," I said feeling stupid, "That makes sense."

I met Nico and Jason on the top of the hill. Nico grabbed my hand and after a moment's hesitation he grabbed Jason's. Then it all went black.

**(A/N I am so sorry that this took so long next will be a totally awesome, or horribly painful scene at Camp Jupiter. Review.)**


	11. Travel West

Chapter 11: Travel West

I hate shadow traveling. Sure it was quick, but it was freezing and it felt like all my skin was going to fly off. Why did we have to shadow travel? It may have been only a few minutes, but it felt like hours. I could feel Nico's hand in mine, but it wasn't reassuring. In fact it made me hate shadow travel even more. We arrived in a field. Nico passed out.

"So," Jason said, "Should we try to wake him?"

I nodded, "Sure."

We tried everything. Jason yelled in his ear. I shook him. Nothing worked. After about ten minutes he started to stir.

"Where are we?" Nico asked.

"Camp Jupiter," Jason reminded him.

"Oh ya," Nico said really drowsily.

I remembered the Ambrosia in my bag and pulled some out.

"Here," I said handing him some, "Eat."

He ate it quickly and seemed more awake.

"I am never shadow traveling again." I announced.

Nico laughed, "Come on it's not that bad."

"Yes it is," I argued, "It's horrible."

"It is pretty bad," Jason agreed.

"Jason and I never agree on anything because he's an idiot, but we just agreed on that," I said.

"Yes," Jason said, "Hey!"

"You just called yourself an idiot," I said laughing.

Nico rolled his eyes, "Come on time to go find Reyna."

We walked to the edge of the field and there stood a group of boys. I noticed a girl inside the circle.

"What do you want Octavian?" the girl asked.

"Why my dear Praetor," The boy with his back to us said, "I want you out of the way."

"And how do you expect to achieve that?" the girl asked angrily.

"Like so." The boy said and pulled out his sword.

He stabbed the girl in the chest, but she didn't cry out. Suddenly I rushed forward and knocked the boy onto the ground. I punched him in the face. He died quickly. The rest of the boys ran away as soon as they saw their leader dead. I knelt by the girl. She was beautiful. She really looked like a leader. She wasn't going to die on me. She seemed to be studying me.

"Jason," I said my voice cracking, "Go find all those boys. Nico go with him."

Nico ran off, but Jason stared at the girl and said, "You are not dying on me Reyna. Understood?"

He ran off without another word.

"I have been waiting for you Daughter of Thanatos." Reyna said.

"What?" I asked, "How?"

"Your father came to me in a dream. He said that his daughter will move me from my spot. Now I understand that. You have to help me leave." Reyna said.

"No," I said, "I can't kill you."

She shook her head, "It isn't killing. I'm going to die no matter what. It will just make it go quicker." She saw me reach for my bag and said, "All the Nectar and Ambrosia in the world can't save me now."

"But…but." Was all I could say.

"You are on a quest are you not?" she asked.

"Yes, but…" I said

"What is the prophecy?" she asked cutting me off.

"The Underworld's weakness shall travel west. To take the Roman's final breath. Do head out this final cry. Or a heart to true will finally die." I said after a moment's hesitation.

"Exactly it says to come here finish me and follow out my last request." She said with finality.

"Okay." I said almost crying, "What is your last request."

She gave a half-smile and said, "Do you know how to get to Seattle?"

**(A/N Mwahahaha. If you know why she said Seattle tell me. I want to see how many people pay attention. Also REVIEW. I WILL GIVE REVIEWERS BLUE COOKIES (::)(::)(::).)**


	12. Roman's Final Breath

Chapter 12: Roman's final breath

"No," I said, "But Nico and Jason will."

She nodded, "My sister lives there. She is queen of the Amazons. You must tell the guards, you come bearing a message from me to Queen Hylla. When you get in there men are not allowed to speak. You must tell my sister and only my sister of my passing."

"But…" I stuttered, "You can't just die. You have a legion to lead."

"Yes," she nodded, "Get a message to my partner Frank. He must come back from his trip to Camp Half-Blood. The legion needs him."

"The legion needs you." I said.

If it was back when I was at Camp Half-Blood the first time and someone had told me I would be begging a Roman not to die I would have laughed. Now I was close to tears.

"Please," I begged.

"Promise me you will tell my sister goodbye for me. Tell her I love her and to not mourn." She insisted.

"Please," I said.

"PROMISE," She yelled. "Swear on the Styx."

"I swear on the river Styx that if you die I will deliver the message to your sister." I said

She smiled, "Thank you." Then frowned, "I just realized I haven't asked your name."

"Ariadne." I said crying.

"Ariadne," She repeated, "Thank you Ariadne."

She grabbed my hand. I tried to pull away.

"Ariadne it is easier this way. Tell my sister goodbye. Thank you Ariadne." She said.

She didn't say anything else. Reyna was dead. I was crying. Why did all the best people die before their time?

"They don't," a voice that was getting all too familiar said, "All people die in their time."

"Hello father," I said angrily without looking at him. "Not good to see you."

"Ariadne," he said calmly, "How are you?"

"IT ISN'T FAIR!" I screamed ignoring his question, "It isn't fair."

"You would be surprised how often I hear the word fair. There is no fairness in death. You of all people should know that." He lectured.

"Yes," I agreed, "But it still hurts."

"Of course it does. Pain is felt after all deaths. I do my job. It doesn't mean I enjoy it. Goodbye Ariadne." He said and disappeared.

"It isn't fair," I muttered to myself, "It is not fair."

I cursed my father in Greek. I muttered words that shouldn't be said around small children.

"IT IS NOT FAIR!" I screamed, "Why can't it be fair."

I heard footsteps and looked up to see Jason, Nico, and a lot of Romans standing over me. I tried to say Reyna is dead, but it wouldn't come out.

So instead I said through tears, "The Great Praetor of New Rome is dead."

Jason looked shocked. He bent down and stroked her hair.

"Goodbye Reyna," I heard him whisper.

Most of the Romans taught to be emotionless were crying. Sobbing even. And I was crying just as hard. Nico wasn't crying, but his head was bent in sorrow.

No one spoke until one little girl said, "Who killed her?"

I didn't trust myself to speak, so I pointed to the body of the boy I had killed.

"Octavian," A boy yelled out, "He was always a… a…" He burst into tears. He pulled a flask off his belt and threw it at the ground.

I thought I heard the boy mutter, "Stupid Kool-Aid." But I must have heard wrong.

No one else spoke so we stood there in silence, and watched Jason stroke her hair. I wanted to walk away, but I couldn't. I couldn't leave this girl who had known who I was and held my hand.

Then I said loudly and clearly brushing away tears, "Goodbye Reyna."

A few people muttered goodbye and Jason picked up her body.

Goodbye.

**(A/N Why did I have to write this? I hate myself. Can anyone guess who the boy that threw down the flask was? Can I stop crying? Review please.) **


	13. Frank

Chapter 13: Frank

The Roman's burned Reyna's body and immediately went to the Senate House to plan what to do. After about an hour of arguing. I was done.

"That's enough!" I screamed and grabbed a Drachma from my bag. "Why don't I just do this?"

Luckily Jason had a glass of water, so I poured it out and threw the coin into it.

"Iris please accept my offering and show me Frank…" I paused.

"Zhang," Nico supplied

"Show me Frank Zhang at Camp Half-Blood." I said.

The image showed the large boy I had seen at Camp.

I cleared my throat. He jumped about ten feet in the air.

"Oh uh hi?" he said surprised then his face darkened, "Where's Reyna?"

I didn't trust myself to answer, so I put my head down.

"Dead," Nico said, "You have to come back now."

Frank seemed at a loss for words.

"Percy," He said looking at someone out of the picture, "I need to borrow Blackjack."

He cut the image, but not before I saw his tears.

As soon as the image was cut, one of the centurions stood up and said, "What does that do? Reyna sent her 'partner' to Camp Half-Blood to be out of the way. He's useless."

"Shut up," I said, "I have not met Frank, but Reyna said to get him here now."

"Just adjourn your stupid meeting," Nico snapped. "Your leader is dead and you are arguing like children."

"Nico is right," Jason said as calmly as he could in the situation, "Reyna is dead." He started to mumble, "Dead. Dead. Dead."

"Um ya," The boy with the flask from earlier said, "We should go wait for our praetor."

As they left I heard a few mutters of, "Not our praetor," and, "We didn't vote for him," and, "Stupid field promotion." Huh that was weird.

Jason went with them, so pretty soon it was just me and Nico.

"What did she say?" he asked.

"She said to get Frank back here and to deliver a message to her sister in Seattle." I said my voice shaking.

"Seattle," he mused, "Amazons. Hazel went there once with Percy and Frank."

I nodded and walked outside. Flask boy gave me a sad smile.

"Hey," he said, "I'm Dakota."

All I was wondering was why he had been carrying around a flask.

"You're wondering about the juice. Well my dad is Bacchus. I have a little addiction." He joked.

"Wine is a," I said trying to think of a way to make it sound good, "Interesting drink."

"Wine?" he said and crumpled up his nose, "Nah Kool-Aid is my drink."

"Kool-Aid?" I asked, "What's that?"

His eyes widened, "You don't know what Kool-Aid is?" he sounded insulted.

He looked like he had an idea and ran off to come back seconds later with a red pouch in his hand.

"Here drink this." He said handing me the juice filled pouch.

I took a sip and decided Kool-Aid was alright.

"Good," I said.

He smiled and a dark shape landed in the crowd of people. It was Frank.

He looked over the crowd, but his eyes locked on me.

"Ariadne," he said, "I need to speak with you." Then he turned to the crowd, "I am going to the principia. Everyone else back to your normal activities."

I heard mutters of, "Yes Praetor." But the way they said it was like he was a disease.

He brought me to what I supposed was the principia. Inside there were two chairs both on the praetor's side.

"Here," he said and pushed a chair to the other side. When I had sat down he said, "Hazel has spoken highly of you."

"Frank?" I asked, "Are you alright?"

Tears formed in the older boy's eyes. "No I'm not."

He reached for the bowl filled with colored candies in the center of the table.

"Reyna hated jelly-beans. She kept them here for show." He gulped, "But I don't know how to act. I never learned to be praetor.

He popped a candy which I supposed was a jelly-bean in his mouth.

"I will just end up eating the jelly-beans instead of letting them sit." He finished

"So?" I asked, "What's wrong with eating jelly-beans?"

"That's not the point." He said, "The point is I don't know how to be praetor. Why do you think Reyna sent me away? Even she thought I was useless."

"No," I said, "She was the one that said to get you here. She told me that and to…" My voice fell.

"Wait," he asked, "You spoke to her last?"

I nodded.

"The quest," he muttered, "Roman's final breath. But that doesn't make sense it said to take the Roman's…" his voice cut off. "Unless you killed her." His voice turned angry, "Explain now!"

"She was already dying. Stabbed in chest by…" I tried to remember the name. "By Octavian. She told me to get you and to talk to her sister and…"

"Wait she wants you to talk to Hylla?" he said her name like an annoyance. "Hazel, Percy, and I met her once. She was nice to Hazel, but locked Percy and I in a cell until Hazel came to our rescue. And she did come to save us from the giant attack, but she likes to put men in 'their place.' I'm sure she was nicer to Reyna though."

I nodded and continued, "And she grabbed my hand and told me it was an easier death."

It started to register that Frank was sobbing, "I was never close to Reyna, but she was praetor and the only one who knew what a praetor is supposed to do except Jason. But Jason won't be the same after what happened."

I decided not to ask, "I'm going to find Jason," I said, "I'll speak to you later Fra… Praetor."

He gave a sad half-smile. "See you later Ariadne."

**(A/N So what do you think? Review please. Try my other stories and REVIEW. I hated killing off Reyna, but this needed to happen. A few more chapters until the quest. Dun dun dun.)**


	14. Flashbacks and Kool-Aid

**(A/N HOH spoiler alert.)**

Chapter 14: Flashbacks and Kool-Aid

I found Jason sitting alone in his father's temple.

"Hey." I asked, "Are you all right?"

He turned to me teary eyed and said, "What is that supposed to mean? Of course I'm not okay."

He turned around and looked me in the eye, but all I could see was the unnamed blond-haired boy. The boy I killed. He was a Roman leader. Respected and killed just like Reyna. I fell on the floor breathing heavily.

He said something, but all I heard was that boy saying, "Surrender or else."

"Ah!" I screamed, "Leave me alone! Haven't you done enough?!"

"Ari," Jason said, "I just asked if you were all right."

"Surrender." The boy's voice said, "Surrender Ari."

"NO!" I yelled, "I will never surrender to you! Leave me alone!"

Suddenly I heard Nik's voice saying, "You have a beautiful singing voice. You have a beautiful singing voice. You have a beautiful singing voice."

I was crying, "I know Nik I know."

I had to block out the noise so I sang the same lullaby I had that night,

"_Hush hush you never know_

_Just when the worst of you will show_

_Just bring the best out they will see_

_The person that you call me"_

"Ari." Jason said.

He was leaning over me. We were in the temple of Jupiter. Alone.

"You've been screaming and singing for twenty minutes." Jason said.

"Kill me." I said, "Kill me now and end it."

"Ari you need to calm down," he said.

"No!" I screamed at him, "You don't understand! You never will! I want to go see my friends and forget quests! I want to stop hurting everyone near me!"

"Ari." He said in a soft voice, "You're right I don't understand and I never will, but you do not hurt everyone near you."

"Yes I do. Maybe not directly, but you are hurt right now like most people here." I argued.

His expression softened, "Ari you need some rest."

"No," I said thinking of who I could talk to. "I need some Kool-Aid."

He raised an eyebrow, "Okay? Dakota will have some."

Yes, I thought, but on the outside I just shrugged.

Dakota was sitting in the mess hall. Why he wasn't in his lesson I wasn't sure, but I was glad nonetheless. Jason had gone to take a nap.

I walked up to him, "Hey Dakota."

He sniffled, "Hey Ari."

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He shook his head, "I think what happened is just starting to sink in. Is it true you killed Octavian?"

I nodded not sure how else to answer.

"He was an idiot." Dakota said, "All his so called friends were afraid of him and he hated Jason and the Greeks more than anyone."

"Why?" I asked.

"Well he hated Jason because Jason became praetor and not him. Also…" Dakota said.

"Stop." I cut off, "People keep hinting that Jason is or was praetor, but I don't understand."

"Ah yes." Dakota laughed, "Well on the quest of the seven a Roman leader needed to control some ghosts, but they needed someone who could control all the ghosts. They needed a praetor. Jason and Reyna were the praetors at the time. Reyna wasn't there yet and Jason had become too Greek so the ghost didn't recognize him. Frank was a centurion until Jason gave up his job to save the quest. Frank became praetor and Jason never looked back."

"Oh," was my clever response.

"Anyway back to Octavian. He hated the Greeks because he was a Roman. He couldn't move forward to see that the Greeks are good people. He was the augur." Dakota finished.

"Oh," I said again, "Can I have some Kool-Aid?"

Dakota laughed, "Sure."

He handed me the red pouch, but this time I drank it all. The whole time his foot was tapping against the floor.

"Are you okay?" I asked pointing at his foot.

"Oh ya." He said, "Just ADHD."

I was confused, "What's that?"

"You know." He said, "Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. When you are really hyper."

I shook my head, "Never heard of it."

"Really Ari?" he asked, "Kool-Aid and now this? What century are you from?"

"This one." I said nervously.

Dakota laughed, "I was kidding Ari."

"Yes I know." I laughed my worry disappearing.

"Dakota," I said, "I have something to ask you."

"Yes?" he said, "Ask away."

"What would you do if your hands were covered in blood? If you watched people die and you realize it's your fault?" I asked

"Oh." He said, "I dunno. I've never thought of that. I guess I would do what I could to honor their memories."

"What if you didn't know them?" I asked

"I would find out who they were somehow." He said

I smiled, "Thanks Dakota."

He winked at me, "Be safe Ari." Then he reached for his belt and threw a flask at me. "And enjoy the Kool-Aid."

**(A/N So what do you think? I have like the same people reviewing over and over. While that's great I would love some different people to review. ****A lot of chapters will have HOH spoilers from now on.**** Also try my other stories. Remember reviewers get some of Sally's blue cookies. (::)(::)(::)(::).)**


	15. Rainbows

Chapter 15: Rainbows

I walked away from Dakota with a smile on my face.

Why are you happy? Part of me thought. He's only nice to you because he doesn't know your secret. It was true. No one that knew my secret had been nice to me except… Hazel. That's it, I thought.

I reached into my bag and pulled out a Drachma. Then I realized I needed a rainbow to send it. Jason will know where I can find something to make a rainbow. I ran off to find him and straight into Frank.

"Oops." I said, "Sorry."

He gave me a small smile. "No big deal. Why were you running?"

"Oh," I said, "I was looking for Jason because I thought he could show me somewhere to make a rainbow."

"Come here." He said and began walking to a house. A praetor's house.

He unlocked the door and walked inside. I stood in the doorway, but what caught my eye was a picture on the wall. It had quite a few people I knew. Hazel, Frank, Percy, Jason, Annabeth, and a boy and girl I didn't recognize. Frank came back with a bottle in his hand and saw me looking at the picture.

"That," he said, "Is the seven. I'm sure you've heard them mentioned."

I nodded, "Who are those two?" I asked and pointed to the boy and girl I didn't know.

"Piper and Leo." He said, "Piper is a daughter of Aphrodite and a charmspeaker. Also Jason's girlfriend. Leo is a son of Hephaestus and a fire user. And you already know Hazel, Jason, Annabeth, Percy, and me. We were the seven. Now I rarely see them even at Camp Half-Blood. Percy and Annabeth are still recovering and spend a lot of time out of Camp even in the summer. Jason and Piper are cool, but I was never super close to them and now they spend all their free time together. Leo is always in bunker nine muttering about an island and a girl. I see Hazel more, but even she has been spending a lot of time with Nico lately. And I am the one who is here weak and useless." He ended his talk with a tone of regret.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"Well you shouldn't be." He said, "It isn't your fault. You've had it a lot worse."

I smiled a little. "Maybe you just need to find the rainbows in it." I said and sprayed the bottle of water in the air creating a rainbow.

He smiled, "Maybe you're right."

I left the praetor's house with a smile on my face. I walked to a private spot to talk and sprayed the bottle in the air and then threw the Drachma into it.

"Show me Hazel Levsque at Camp Half-Blood." I said.

Hazel was in the Hades cabin. She was looking at the same picture I had seen in Frank's house. She was crying.

"Hey Hazel," I said.

She whipped her head around, "Oh hey Ari. I'm still not used to Iris messaging."

"Are you okay?" I said.

"No." she said, "I'm worried about my brother. And Frank. And Percy and Annabeth. And Leo and his mutterings. And Jason and Piper who can't spend a day apart. And myself. I'm going crazy."

"Rainbows," I said sadly.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing." I said, "Have you gotten the news?"

"About Reyna? Yes." She said

"Jason, Nico, and I will leave tomorrow. Frank misses you like crazy. And I befriended a Kool-Aid addict." I said.

She laughed, "Dakota and his Kool-Aid."

I laughed too and it felt so good. Then I thought about what Frank had said about the seven. And I hoped that they would be together again. That the boy Leo would stop muttering. That Jason and Piper could spend time apart. That Percy and Annabeth would recover. That Hazel would stop worrying and Frank would take charge. I kept laughing.

"Yes," I said with a smile, "Kool-Aid."

"Ari," she said "Good luck."

"You too." I said before cutting off the message.

I sprayed the rest of the bottle into the air and watched the rainbow it made.

"Rainbows." I said to myself, "Rainbows."

That's when I realized that rainbows were more than just water. They were more than just color. Rainbows were more than just a goddess's symbol. They were happiness. They were sadness. But most of all they were hope.

"Rainbows," I said to myself.

**(A/N Ari is finally hopeful. Of course she hasn't even gone on her quest yet so… Review. The next chapter will be the start of the quest. We will see a lot of characters from the books. So review for blue cookies made by Sally. (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::).)**


	16. I Hate Trains

Chapter 16: I Hate Trains

I woke up in a bunk bed. After the call to Hazel last night I had actually gone to dinner with a smile. Dinner was quiet because everyone was still mourning. Dinner had been a little depressing. Dakota had let me sleep in the fifth cohort's barracks that night.

"Took you long enough," A voice said.

"Wha?" I asked then saw the guy standing over me, "Oh hey Dakota."

"Everyone else already left for breakfast." He said.

"Oh," I said.

I quickly realized I didn't have anything to change into. He smiled at me.

"Here," He threw a purple tee-shirt and jeans at me, "Emma thought these would fit you."

"Who's Emma?" I asked.

"Just a girl in the cohort." He said blushing.

"Or a girl you have a crush on." I suggested innocently.

He was blushing like crazy now. "Just go in the bathroom and change!" He yelled, but didn't sound angry just embarrassed.

I went in and changed as quickly as I could. I looked in the mirror. I didn't recognize the girl I saw. My normally pale skin was tanned. My hair looked browner than its normal black. The only thing that looked the same were my eyes. Pitch black as usual. I was afraid of them. They showed I was a monster no matter how much I changed. They destroyed my rainbow.

I walked out of the bathroom with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"Let's go," Dakota said, "Or Reyna will kill me for…" His voice cut off. "For being late," He said crying.

"Come on." I said, "Let's go."

He nodded and we walked silently to the mess hall. It was a strange place. I hadn't paid attention last night, but there was food flying around on platters and people moving to any table they wish. It was chaotic. I sat at a table with Nico, Jason, Frank, Dakota, and a few other senior officers.

"We'll just take a train." Nico was saying. "There's a train that will take us all the way to Portland, Oregon."

Frank shuddered, "I hate Portland. Stupid weed whackers."

"Weed whackers?" I asked trying not to laugh.

He looked me straight in the eye and nodded.

Jason looked annoyed, "Not important. If we take the train to Portland we have to figure out how to get the rest of the way to Seattle."

"We'll improvise." I suggested.

Jason looked even more annoyed, "Improvise? But if we do that then…"

"We won't waste all our time deciding," I cut in.

Jason rolled his eyes, but stopped talking.

"She's right," Frank said. "I know that Romans aren't keen on the whole improvising thing, but sometimes planning gets in the way. After breakfast we will give you some food supplies and have you on your way. And Jason," he said turning to him, "The Romans still need your help."

The words were obviously I need your help. Frank was asking Jason to teach him to be a praetor. Jason's expression softened a little.

"Frank?" I said, "Good luck."

He nodded, "Good luck."

After breakfast Frank gave us some rations including some extra Nectar and Ambrosia. Dakota walked us to the border of Camp.

"I'm not going to say good luck to you Ari." He said to me. "You don't need it."

"Are you sure about that?" I asked, "I'm pretty unlucky."

He smiled at me, "You almost forgot this."

In his hands was the Kool-Aid flask. I laughed.

I took it from him and tied it to my belt.

As he began to walk away I said, "Oh Dakota. Thank you."

"I have to go find someone." He said blushing.

"Oh who? Maybe Emma?" I asked

He ran away blushing like crazy.

Nico, Jason, and I stepped outside the door. I almost threw up. The road looked like black concrete and driving on it were giant metal things like horseless carriages.

"What the Hades?" I asked

Nico looked slightly insulted at the use of his father's name, but said, "They're cars."

"Cars." I repeated, "That's it. I hate the future."

We walked alongside the road Nico had called a highway until we came to the train station. Nico handed the guy some mortal money and we walked onto the platform. I was shocked.

"Why is there a big hole in the floor?" I asked.

Jason rolled his eyes, "So the train can drive through."

And when the train did drive in I wanted to throw up again. It was a huge metal car.

"I'm not going on that giant metal death trap." I told Nico.

"Okay," he said, "Then walk six hundred fifty miles."

So I got onto the giant metal death trap.

I sat down in a seat, but Nico and Jason were left standing.

The mortals acted like this was an everyday activity.

"Hello." The guy next to me said, "I've lost my number can I have yours."

"Um three?" I said confused.

"What?" He asked.

"She means," Nico cut in, "You have three seconds to get away from my sister before you die."

The guy stood up and scampered away. Then the train started moving. Nico sat next to me.

"Ahh" I said as quietly as I could. "So what did that guy want?"

"He wanted your phone number, but even if you weren't from that other place people like us aren't allowed to have them. They attract annoyances." Nico said.

Somehow I understood him. That other place was the past, people like us were demigods, and annoyances were monsters.

I nodded, "What's a phone?"

"A non-magical way of communicating from two different place. Kind of like IM'ing without the picture." Nico replied. "If you have someone's phone number you can call them."

I nodded again, "This place is baffling. Do you know what else is?"

He looked at me uninterested, "No, what is?"

"Why did you call me your sister?" I asked him.

"I thought it would make the guy leave you alone and I was right.' He said.

I looked out of the window and saw how fast we were moving.

"I feel sick." I declared. "And I hate trains."

**(A/N So what do you think? This was not really very exciting, but the next chapter they will run into some… I'm not telling you. So review or else Nico will attack you with dead dudes. Right Nico? Nico: Um sure I guess. So review.)**


	17. Nothing to Fear

**(A/N Hello fan-fictioners. I just want to tell you that if something is in italics it is being said in Greek. )**

Chapter 17: Nothing to Fear

I was more than happy when we got off the train in Portland hours and hours later.

"I am never getting on a train again." I told Jason and Nico.

Nico rolled his eyes.

"So." I asked. "How do we get to Seattle?"

Jason stared at me like I was stupid. "You were the one saying to improvise!"

"I'm also the one who has never been there before." I countered. "Or anywhere else."

"Shut up, you two." Nico said. "Let's find some late dinner."

Nico and Jason found a small restaurant.

"What is there?" I ask Nico.

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Are you dyslexic? It says the menu up there in plain English."

I was confused. "Dyslexic?" I asked. "English?"

"Oh." Nico said. "Dyslexic is just a reading problem. English is the language you are speaking right now."

"_I'm speaking Greek_." I protested. "_It's the only language I know_."

"_Now you're speaking Greek."_ He said. "_But before you were speaking English_."

I thought hard. "_Okay you're_…" I said. "I mean okay you're right."

Jason ordered something called a hamburger for each of us.

"So," I asked in between bites. "Any clue why I can speak English, but not read it?"

Nico shook his head.

"Maybe you're just Dyslexic like most demigods." Jason suggested.

I shrugged. "Maybe."

We finished eating in silence. We walked out into the night.

"What time is it?" Nico asked.

"We left Camp Jupiter around eight." Jason said. "Walked for an hour and took a ten hour train ride then had dinner. So about ten at night."

"We should find a place to stay for the night." Nico said.

"Why would you need to do that?" A voice said.

"Are you afraid of the dark, Son of Hades?" Another one asked.

"No," The first voice replied. "But I know what he is afraid of."

"Who's there?" Jason called out.

"Your worst nightmares." The first voice said.

The two stepped into the light. They were teenage boys or at least looked like them.

"We aren't afraid of you." I said.

"There is nothing to fear," The first one said. "Except fear itself. So let me tell you a secret, demigod. I am fear."

"Phobos." Nico said. "Percy beat you once."

Phobos stared him in the eye.

"Bianca." Nico choked. "NO!"

He was crying.

The other smiled an evil smile at Jason and me.

"I can take care of the other two, brother." He said.

I ran at him with my sword, but he kept shifting forms into the most terrifying things alive.

That's when I realized, "You're Demios." I said. "Terror."

In my distraction he hit me with his sword and I flew backwards.

That's when I got the idea. I quickly looked over at Jason and Nico. They were afraid, on the ground, and crying.

The two gods approached me.

"Alright," I said and dropped my sword. "You win."

Phobos looked me in the eyes. It isn't true to say I didn't feel fear. I was afraid, but I understood my fears. I saw Nik and Cassia dying right before my eyes. Priam and my father. But I knew there was no getting them back. No use being afraid anymore.

So I pretended to look dazed right before I ran at Phobos.

I punched Fear in the face.

I can't kill gods, but there is no way I will ever get bugged by him or his brother ever again. Phobos fell on the ground coughing. Demios seemed to realize he'd lost so he grabbed his brother and disappeared.

I ran over to Jason and Nico. Jason had already recovered and was trying to help Nico up, but Nico was still muttering that same name over and over.

"Bianca!" He yelled. "Bianca!"

"Nico." I said calmly. "Don't be afraid."

He shook himself out of the illusion. "I'm not afraid."

I wanted to argue, but now wasn't the time or place.

I smiled at him. "I am probably the only person who can say they punched Fear in the face."

"Oh, stop bragging." Jason joked.

"And looked Death in the eye." I joked back.

Nico rolled his eyes and I decided he was back to normal. Then he passed out.

Jason smiled. "Let's find somewhere to spend the night."

That somewhere ended up being an ally.

Jason dragged Nico all the way there.

"Sleep." Jason told me and for once I listened to him.

As I as I started to fall asleep I told myself, there is nothing to fear, not even fear itself. Nothing to fear.

Then one last thought. Who is Bianca?

**(A/N Soooo…. What do you think? *Cartoon announcer voice* Why can Ari not read English? Will she help Nico lose his fear? Will she find out who Bianca is? Find out in the next chapter. Or don't. *normal voice* Either way review.)**


	18. Secrets Aren't Ours

**(A/N This chapter is dedicated to Anastasia Victoria Black, who knows what it is like to lose someone. I hope you feel better Anastasia.)**

Chapter 18: Secrets Aren't Ours

I woke up at sunrise to see Nico leaning against the ally wall. Jason was sleeping on the ground.

"Hey, Ari." He said.

"What are you afraid of?" I asked.

"Could have at least said good morning before you start interrogating me." Nico rolled his eyes.

"Good morning." I said. "Answer the question."

"I'm not afraid of anything." He said.

"Are you afraid of me?" I asked.

"No." He said, way to quickly to be believable.

"You're afraid of me." I gasped.

"I'm not afraid of you." Nico said.

I got suddenly mad. "YES YOU ARE!" I yelled at him. "You are just a scared little boy! You haven't done anything, but feel sorry for yourself!"

"I…" Nico started to say.

"No." I said. "Just admit it. Admit you are afraid."

"Fine." He said. "I'm scared. I'm afraid of losing the little I have left."

"You have more than you think, Nico." I said softly. "You have Hazel, Jason, Percy, Annabeth, and you have me." I continued. "You have nothing to be afraid of."

"I've lost too much to believe that." Nico said.

"Bianca." I said. "How did she die?"

He paled. "That… I… I… How… You…"

"Was she your girlfriend?" I asked.

He shook his head. "My… My… She was my sister."

"Oh," I said. "How did she die?"

"Talos." He said. "One of Hephaestus' automans."

"That's horrible." I said. "I guess we've both lost people."

"Nik." He guessed. "What was he like?"

"He was kind." I said. "He wasn't what you would expect from a Son of Hades."

Nico nodded.

"I didn't know him long." I said. "But I was in love with him. My whole life was black and white. I thought myself a monster, but he changed that. He stood up for me and colored in my world. I'm wondering why it didn't switch back to black and white now that he is gone. The world seems too sad to me without him."

"He sounds like a good person." Nico said.

"Tell me about your sister." I said.

"She was beautiful. She took care of me until she joined The Hunters when I was ten. She went on a quest and never came back." He said.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you." I said.

"No, I deserved it." He consoled me.

"No, I just made you spill all your secrets." I insisted.

"Not all of them." He murmured then said loudly. "Besides secrets aren't ours. They aren't secrets if they belong to us. Bianca didn't belong to me."

"Oh." I said.

"You aren't the only one who doesn't belong at this time. When I was a little kid, I was put in the Lotus Hotel and frozen in time for decades." Nico continued.

"Well I died." I joked. "So I win."

"Thank you." He said.

"For what?" I asked.

"The talk." He said. "I needed it. I'm not afraid anymore."

"Can I have your help with something?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Help me learn why I can't read English." I pleaded.

"Okay." He said. "First, I'm going to write something in Greek."

I read what he had written.

Say this aloud: one, two, three.

"One, two, three." I said.

"No way." Nico laughed.

"What?" I asked confused.

"I wrote that in English." He said. "But when you thought it was Greek you were able to read it."

He wrote something else.

"This one is in English." He said.

I read what he had written again.

Aould iths ysa treh ewo: toen.

I rubbed my eyes.

"That was actually in English, right?" I asked

"Yes." He said. "This is weird."

"I know." I agreed with a smile.

Suddenly I felt pained.

How was I this happy? My father, Priam, Cassia, and Nik were dead. Reyna was dead.

Wait a minute. Reyna was dead. Jason knew Reyna better than anyone. So why was he so upbeat?

"We should get going." I said. "Wake Jason, will you?"

"Sure." Nico said.

I watched as Nico poured a tiny drop of water on Jason and he snapped awake.

"Wha… Oh…" Jason said. "Time to go?"

"Yes." I said. "How do we get to Seattle?"

We walked out of the ally, but no one told him that we had no idea.

I heard screaming.

"Come on!" Jason yelled and we ran towards the noise.

We ran until we saw him.

"Demios." I said. "Did you not get enough last night?"

"You want to be beaten up again?" Nico asked.

The mortals were still screaming.

"Come to play again, Half-Bloods?" He asked unafraid.

"Jason, can you fly?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Distract Demios. Nico, protect the mortals."

They didn't question it. They just ran.

"Why can't these guys just go away?" I muttered to myself.

I charged Terror.

**(A/N So what did you think? Next chapter won't be all about fighting Demios. They'll defeat him quickly before they… wait I can't tell you. Review and try my new Harry Potter crossover, Who are you? I am the Ghost King.)**


	19. Where I Belong

Chapter 19: Where I Belong

I charged. I drew my sword, but Demios was focused on Jason flying around him. He didn't notice me until my sword was in his chest.

"Ugh!" Demios yelled. He threw my sword at me, but missed.

I did the natural thing. I slapped him. He seemed weaker, but kept attacking.

"Nico!" I yelled. "Dead!"

Demios didn't seem to understand. He pushed me to the ground and stood over me.

"Yes, Half-Blood. You are dead." Demios bragged.

He gasped as a skeleton warrior stabbed him in the back.

"I will have my revenge." He said.

"Look away!" Nico yelled.

I looked away just in time. Demios was gone. We had won.

"Nico," Jason said. "We should get out of here before the police come. Can you Shadow Travel?"

He thought for a moment. "Maybe."

"We have to try." Jason insisted.

I felt Nico grab my shoulder as the world disappeared. It was total blackness. We saw the light in a place I was pretty sure wasn't Seattle.

"Nico?" Jason asked. "Where are we?"

Nico was asleep on the ground, but somehow I knew the answer.

"The Fields of Asphodel." I said. "We're in the Underworld."

I pulled some Ambrosia out of my bag.

"Feed that to Nico." I told Jason.

He knelt down by the sleeping son of Hades, and stuffed the Ambrosia into Nico's mouth.

Nico stirred. "Where are we? This isn't Seattle." He sat up. "Oh, gods."

"While we're here, there's something I need to do." I said. "Alone."

"Let us come with you." Nico said. "I've already been useless enough."

"Fine but not Jason." I said. "No offense."

Nico nodded like that made sense and he understood why.

Jason looked offended. "Where are you going?"

"Just stay here, Jason." I said.

He rolled his eyes, but didn't move as Nico and I walked to Elysium.

It took a while, but we found a black house with Greek fire in the windows.

"That's it." I said grinning.

Nico didn't question it even when I walked up and knocked on the door.

"Go away, Cassia." A voice inside said.

I glared at Nico until he stepped up to the door and said, "It's not Cassia."

"Go away, not Cassia." The voice said.

"We aren't leaving until you come out." Nico said.

"Stand there forever, then." The voice said in a bored tone.

"Nik, just come out." I pleaded.

The voice didn't reply, but after a minute the door swung open.

"Ari." Nik said simply. "Ari."

"Hi Nik." I blushed.

"I thought you died. I searched everywhere for you. You disappeared." Nik said.

"My father saved me. I was neither alive nor dead. I missed you so much." I said.

Nik frowned. "It's all those stupid Romans fault. They…" He started.

"Excuse me," A voice behind me cut off. "I happen to be Roman."

I turned around and Jason was standing not ten feet away.

"You," Nik scowled. "Last I checked, you were in the Fields of Punishment. I'll have to send you back." He drew his sword forgetting he was a ghost.

"Alright," I said after an insisting stare from Nico. "That's enough. Jason, I said to stay back there."

"JASON?!" Nik questioned. "Since when are you so friendly with Roman murderers? Have you forgotten what they did to you, to us?"

"Calm down." I said ignoring his second question. "He's an idiot, but not a murderer. Actually a different guy. Also you're a ghost, so you couldn't kill him if you tried."

Nik frowned and sheathed his sword.

He turned to me and smiled. "You haven't changed, have you, Ari?"

"Not a bit." I assured. "I missed you."

"I never thought I would see you again." Nik said.

"I love you, Nik." I told him.

'I know. I love you, too." He promised.

"Then you'll understand why I can't stay, why I have to finish my quest." I said softly.

"I wish, I didn't." He told me.

"I want to stay here, Nik." I said. "It sounds strange, but I belong with you. This is where I belong."

Nico and Jason took a hint from my stare and walked away.

"Do you know how I died, Ari?" He said quietly.

I shook my head.

"After the battle, I searched high and low for you. I could feel in my gut that you were dead, so I searched my father's domain. I never found you. I couldn't go back to camp. Not with Cassia and Priam dead. I couldn't go back without you. I decided that if I never wanted to go back to the land of the living then I might as well take away the ability. So I took my sword and…" He didn't finish the sentence, but proceeded to rub his neck.

"Nik." I said shocked. "Why?"

"I love you, Ari! That's why!" He shouted.

I could feel tears forming. "I love you, Nik."

"I know."

"I'm coming back for you, Nikias." I said. "Understand?"

He nodded. "Good luck, Ariadne."

He walked back into his house and shut the door.

I found Jason and Nico talking to a ghostly girl around the corner.

She was very pretty, I thought.

"Thank you, Silena." Nico was saying.

The girl left and I approached the boys.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"Silena died in the second Titan war." Nico said.

"Are you crying?" Jason asked.

"No." I said. "I'm fine."

His expression softened. "That's not what I asked. I asked if you were crying. You are clearly not fine."

"I'm fine." I repeated. "How do we get out of here?"

Nico paled. "Um… well… you see…"

"Nico?" I asked.

"There's only one way out without alerting my father." Nico said quietly with a sudden interest in his shoes. "And that's through Melione's cave."

**(A/N So what do you think? And for those of you that didn't understand, Nik killed himself. Wow that's depressing to write. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Review.)**


	20. Haunting Me

**(A/N Chapter twenty! I want to thank all my readers and reviewers! You guys rock! I like exclamation marks!)**

Chapter 20: Haunting Me

Jason and I looked equally confused.

"Who's Melinoe?" I asked.

"The ghost goddess." Nico said. "Percy, Thalia and I met her once. Not nice."

"Who's Thalia?" I asked.

"My sister." Jason said.

"You have a sister?" I asked.

"Yes." He told me. "She's a Huntress. Which is why she wasn't at camp."

"Oh," I said.

The way Jason had said that, it seemed like he was bitter. Bitter about not getting to see his sister more often. I realized that he had gone through just as much as anyone. Yet he didn't break down. Jason is a true leader.

"Anyway." Nico said. "We have to go through Melinoe's cave."

"How bad can it be?" I asked.

Nico's face answered the question. It could be very bad.

We started walking.

"Jason," I asked. "Are you all right?"

"Fine." He said.

"You are clearly not fine." I told him.

Jason cracked a smile. "Stop stealing my words."

"I was wondering about Reyna." I told him.

His smile faded. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I knew her for about two minutes. What was she really like?" I asked.

"She was a warrior." He answered in a heartbeat. "She was a leader. She should be alive."

Jason turned away from me. Probably to cry.

"Ari, you have to be prepared." Nico said. "Melinoe goes after your ghosts. The deaths you regret. You have to let go."

"You had ghosts last time." I said.

He nodded. "My mother."

"Do you anymore?" I asked. "Do you still regret her death?"

"I know that death isn't fair." He said.

"That doesn't answer the question." I pointed out.

"No," He said. "I don't regret it. I know I couldn't have done anything."

I knew immediately who I would see. I would look up and see my dad.

"I'm worried about Jason." I said.

Nico nodded. "He'll see Reyna. I'm sure of it."

I clenched my fists. "He's not fair!"

"Who?" Nico honestly asked.

"My father." I said angrily. "Death isn't fair."

"Compared to some things, Death is completely fair." Nico said.

"Like what?" I asked.

He put his head down. "Like Love. Cupid's a complete jerk."

"Oh," I said.

Nico and Jason were both surprising me today. Nico had met Cupid. You don't meet gods unless they seek you out. What had the god of love wanted with Nico?

My dad had always cursed Cupid and Aphrodite because the only woman he ever loved was my mother. My dead mother.

"That's it." Nico said. "Melinoe's cave."

We stepped into the cave. It wasn't what I expected. A pretty woman in a black dress stood in the cave. Her dark hair was pulled back. She looked at Nico and gave a sad look.

"Mama," Nico said.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I haunt the world worrying about you and your sister, Nico."

The woman shifted to a strangely familiar woman. She was dressed in the attire of a Grecian princess.

"Mom," I said.

"My mom." Nico said.

"I didn't live to see you." She said. "I worry about you every day."

"Leave them alone." Jason said. "You aren't anyone's mother."

I blinked and the image dissolved.

In its place stood a ghostly woman. Her left side was black and hardened like a mummy and her right side was pale and chalky as if she were drained of all her blood.

"Child of Hades." Melinoe said. "You dare return."

I drew my sword. Jason and Nico followed my lead.

"You are going to let us through your pathway." I told her.

"Who are you to command me?" She asked.

"A child of Thanatos. A Daughter of Death." I said.

"Please. Thanatos does not command me." She said.

I lifted my sword to her throat.

"No," I said. "But I do."

While I had her distracted, Nico and Jason started to sneak up the pathway.

"You are nothing, but an image, a dark thought." I said. "I am not afraid of ghosts."

She growled and disappeared.

I followed Nico and Jason up the path.

"That was surprisingly easy." Nico pointed out.

"Good point." I said. "We should run."

For what seemed like an eternity, we ran up the pathway.

"Where does this path turn up?" I yelled to Nico.

"No clue!" He yelled back. "Main path is in L.A. Orpheus's path is in New York."

"So we could turn up anywhere?" I yelled.

"Pretty much!" He called back.

Jason, who was in the lead, said, "No way are we that lucky!"

I saw a light and Nico and I caught up to him.

Nico's jaw dropped. "That's Seattle."

"We can't be that lucky." I said.

"Apparently we can." Nico said.

We stepped into Seattle.

"Now how do we find the Amazons?" Jason asked.

We all shrugged.

Nico led us around Seattle trying to find them.

After about an hour, we were still lost.

Nico sat down on the curb and put his head in his hands.

I sat down next to him and looked across the street.

A glass door with the word Amazon etched on it.

"There." I said and pointed.

"No," Jason said. "That's just a company called Amazon. It's an online store."

I didn't understand half of what he said, but I stood up and started walking. Nico and Jason followed me.

"I'm telling you," Jason said. "That's not it."

I opened the door and walked in. An auburn haired girl sat at the counter.

"How may I help you?" She asked.

"We need to speak to Queen Hylla." I said. "I come with a message from the queen's sister."

I looked at her and saw a tag on her shirt that said Kinzie.

Kinzie pulled out a sword.

"Who are you?" She asked.

**(A/N They finally made it to Seattle! Hope you enjoyed the twentieth chapter. For anyone that cares Ari called Melinoe a dark thought because that is the literal meaning of her name. Review.)**


	21. Mourning and Moving On

**(A/N To Guest: Well yeah she sounds crazy. All her friends and her father were killed, she died, and woke up two thousand years in the future. She has a right to sound crazy.)**

Chapter 21: Mourning and Moving On

"My name is Ariadne. I have a message from Reyna to Queen Hylla." I said quickly.

"Which is?" Kinzie asked.

"I have been told to speak to the queen and only the queen." I said.

A dozen more girls came up and Kinzie spoke quietly to them.

"All right." Kinzie said. "We will bring you before the queen. Hand over all weapons."

I pulled my sword out of the sheath and dropped it on the ground. Nico and Jason followed my lead. Nico also pulled a knife out of his boot and put it down.

"That's all of them." I said.

The Amazons walked us down an impossible number of stairs. The whole time I had to be extra cautious to not bump into anyone.

Kinzie gave a small smirk every time I moved away from someone.

"Are you afraid of us?" She joked.

"Not you." I said. "Me."

She stopped smirking after that.

Eventually we emerged in a cavern so huge, I had no words for it. Metal machines were everywhere. Boxes and machines were the only things in sight. I saw the men with irons collars around their necks, I saw the women walking on high metal platforms.

The whole time, Nico walked ahead with no expression on his face. Jason, on the other hand, looked shocked at half the things there, but somehow held his tongue.

We walked through cavern after cavern with no more talk. After what seemed like forever, we came into what I assumed was the throne room. The dais and throne were constructed completely of books.

I saw Queen Hylla sitting on her throne. She looked to be in her twenties, and as fit as anyone I had ever seen. She wore all black and around her waist sat Hippolyta's belt. She looked so much like Reyna.

"My queen, these demigod claim to come with a message from the praetor of New Rome." Kinzie said.

"Oh, do they?" Queen Hylla asked. "Tell me, how is my sister?"

"That's the problem," I said with tears growing in my eyes. "Reyna is dead."

Hylla face changed from a scary, powerful, Amazon queen into a face of mourning.

"My queen…" Kinzie started.

"Leave." Hylla said. "I wish to speak alone with this demigod. Take the males and go elsewhere."

Kinzie and the others left, taking Nico and Jason with them.

I looked at the queen as a tear slid down her face.

"What did she say?" Hylla said.

"She just said to tell you of her passing." I said. "She wanted you to know."

Hylla nodded.

"So," Hylla said brushing away tears. "While we're on the subject of death, I must ask, when did you die?"

"I…I…" I stammered.

"Not modern times." She said. "Ancient times perhaps."

"Ancient Greece, I suppose, is what you'd call it." I said.

"Very interesting Daughter of Thanatos." She said.

"How do you know all that?" I asked.

"I… Reyna and I studied with the sorceress Circe for years." She said.

"Oh," I said.

We had a moment of silence.

"Is this it?" Hylla finally asked.

"Is this what?" I asked.

"Mourning." She said. "I don't feel sad, just empty."

"All people feel loss the same way," I said, with Nik crossing my mind. "But we all recover differently."

Hylla nodded. "Very wise, for one so young."

"I suppose." I said.

"A word of wisdom." She told me, her tears returning. "Things are different from a different perspective."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The reason, Reyna and I left Circe's island is that a man, boy to be exact, freed some pirates who kidnapped us. As Daughters of Bellona, we learned to fight quickly. The pirates learned to respect us. We parted ways in California. I felt loss, but now I wonder how that boy felt." Hylla told me.

"Evil." I said. "Pure evil."

Hylla smiled, as if I told a joke, "Are you so sure?"

I nodded, "Of course."

"His name was Percy Jackson." She said.

"What?!" I asked.

"Do you still think he was evil?" She asked.

"I guess not." I said.

"That's my point. He attacked to save himself, yet for years I hated him for what he did to us." Hylla said.

I nodded.

"Thank you, Ariadne. I'm sure we will meet again someday." Hylla said.

"Why are you thanking me?" I asked.

"You have taught me something. Thanatos is for bringing souls to the next life, helping them move on. His daughter helps people move on." Hylla said.

She called for Kinzie. Kinzie showed up with Nico and Jason, and brought us back up to the lobby without a word.

We stepped back out into the street.

"What did Hylla say?" Jason asked.

I shook my head. "Maybe later."

"Let's go get some dinner." Nico said to Jason and me. "We can talk then."

**(A/N Review. As sad as this makes me, this story will be wrapping up soon. A few more chapters. **** Well if I get enough reviews I suppose… I could do a sequel. Hint hint.**


	22. Miserable Love

Chapter 22: Miserable Love

Dinner was nice enough. The whole time, my mind was replaying things Hylla had said.

There was only one phrase that stuck though.

"His daughter helps people move on." Hylla had said.

"His daughter helps,"

"Helps,"

"Helps,"

It echoed through my brain. Hylla thought I had helped. Reyna… Reyna had thought I helped her move on. I had helped.

"Helps," the echo continued in my head.

"Helps,"

"Ari." Nico cut in.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I've been asking you for five minutes if you want pasta." Nico said.

"Oh… uh sure." I said.

The pasta was all right and we were out of there quick.

"So," Jason said once we were out. "We need somewhere to stay for the night, so Nico can take us home in the morning."

"Um…" Nico said. "I've been in the area before. Next town over, a place called Bellevue, has a hotel."

"Do we have the money?" Jason asked.

"I dunno." Nico shrugged. "Ari, can we see the mortal money?"

I pulled the little green papers out of my bag and handed them to him.

"Seventy, a hundred, hundred fifty, two hundred eighty nine, three hundred fifty four and fifty cents." Nico counted.

"Is that enough?" I asked with no perception of mortal money.

"Should be," Jason said. "Unless we get unlucky."

Jason and Nico decided that, Nico would be able to shadow travel as far as the hotel tonight.

I felt the world disappear beneath my feet. I was getting used to shadow travel, but it was still better than a train.

This time, Nico had actually gotten us to the correct place.

The workers at the hotel looked at us strangely. Three young teenagers with enough money for a room come in, in old worn clothes and look like they have been sleeping on the streets. So I guess we looked weird.

After Nico paid, we walked down a hallway and into a small metal room. It had no furniture, but in the wall were numbered buttons going from one to five.

Nico pressed the button marked four and the whole room jerked upward.

"Wha...? What's going on?" I asked frightened.

Nico smiled a little. "It's an elevator. It takes you to rooms on higher floors. You just press the floor you want and it moves up or down depending on where you want to go."

"What was wrong with stairs?" I asked not calming down.

Nico shrugged. "Most modern mortals are too lazy for stairs."

"I'm going to die." I muttered. "I'm going to die in a small, mechanical, metal room with you two."

Jason laughed. "Really, Ari." He said. "When did you get a sense of humor?"

"I'm going to die while the two idiots around me laugh." I said.

"Yeah, yeah." Nico said. "Wait… HEY!"

Jason was on the floor in hysterics.

"Ari." He said when he finally stopped laughing. "That was perfect."

The metal room stopped moving and the door slid open.

We stepped out into the hallway and found our room. Nico unlocked the door and I saw two large beds, a couch, and a mechanical screen. Ignoring the rest of the room, I laid down on the bed closer to the window and passed out.

"Helps." Continued to echo in my brain as I fell asleep.

"Helps."

I woke the next morning. Nico was asleep on the couch, Jason lay awake on the other bed.

"Hey." Jason said when he saw me sit up.

"Hey." I said. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Ari." He said. "I slept all last night."

"You know that's not what I meant." I said, but was glad he hadn't tried to keep watch.

"Reyna and I were friends. Best friends. I think she might've even liked me. Then the whole prophecy of the seven came and I got a girlfriend. I never got to apologize for leaving." He said.

"Apologies are stupid. If you're sorry enough, the other person knows you're sorry." I said. "But we say them anyway because we think others are ignorant. We don't understand that they know."

"You aren't talking about Reyna, are you?" He said.

"No!" I yelled. "I'm talking about my dad!"

"Thanatos?" Jason asked confused.

"No," I said quietly.

I felt the tears running down my face. I pulled the covers over myself and wept.

"Why do we have to love people?" I asked. "If they don't stay."

"Ari," Nico's voice said. "We should get going."

We grabbed our few belongings. This time we took the stairs. Nico returned the key to the front desk.

We were walking outside when Nico finally spoke again.

"Ari," He said. "Love is miserable."

I saw a slight flutter behind us.

"Son of Hades." A smooth voice said. "You have finally learned something."

**(A/N So? Peoples should go check out my new one-shot, Living Nightmare. And review! Do unicorns poop rainbows, or is that a myth?)**


	23. I Fight With Love

Chapter 23: I Fight With Love

Nico didn't even turn around.

"Cupid." He said with his teeth gritted. "What in Hades, do you want?"

"With you?" Cupid asked. "Nothing. I'm done with your love life, Son of Hades."

"You should've been done a long time ago." Nico said. "Like before he found out my secret." He pointed at Jason.

"Why are you here, Cupid?" I asked.

"Daughter of Thanatos." Cupid said. "I have wondered if it was even possible for you to come into my element."

"_Erre es korakas._" I told Love.

"Love is powerful in the wrong hands." Cupid said. "Are you going to tell your friends about that boy you killed, or perhaps the legion of them you and Nikias, is it, killed? All because someone you loved died."

"Leave her alone!" Nico said. "I'm not afraid of you, anymore."

"Yes, you are, Nico Di Angelo." Cupid laughed. "You're still afraid of admitting it."

"I was in love with Percy, once. I am not anymore. You don't scare me." Nico yelled.

Cupid smiled. "Death is truly kinder than I."

"Leave them alone." Jason said. "The first time I met you, I thought to tell you it wasn't your business. Now I know I was right. You don't deserve the title God of Love. All you do is mess with people. Mortals, demigods, Death himself, understands love better than you."

"Interesting, Jason Grace." Cupid said. "You claim to know better, yet you leave your girlfriend waiting with a broken heart."

"I didn't say I did." Jason said. "And maybe I don't, but others do. Psyche looked upon you, afraid you were a monster. She was right."

I drew my sword and pointed it at Cupid.

He disappeared and behind me I heard, "Must we resort to violence?"

I spun around just to see Cupid disappear again.

"Good at killing, Daughter of Death." Cupid said. "Not much else."

Nico grabbed my shoulder and Jason's.

"Come on." He said. "We're leaving."

I felt the ground disappear beneath my feet. I saw the blackness of the shadows. When I could see light again, we weren't at Camp Half-Blood. The buildings stretched up so tall, that if I fell of off one I would die. They had glass windows and flashing lights everywhere.

"Where… where are we?" I asked Jason, who was trying not to laugh at my expression.

"New York City." Jason said. "Nico only missed by a little."

"Hey," Nico said. "Any father, I would have passed out."

I ignored their bickering and looked around. People sold things on the street. People of all ages rushed along or walked and pointed at everything.

How I would've loved to be one of those children, running through the park across the street. Or any of these people. How I would love to be able to touch someone without them dying.

I felt the tears pooling in my eyes.

"Ari," Nico said seeing me. "I know it's overwhelming, but don't cry."

"It's beautiful." I said. "These people can take for granted a life that no one had when I was born. They don't have my worries. Worries of kings waging war. Worries of hurting others. It's beautiful."

Nico smiled sadly like this wasn't completely true, but I ignored it.

"We should go see Ms. Jackson." Nico said suddenly. "I'm in the mood for cookies."

Jason waved to one of the many yellow machines flooding the streets.

"TAXI!" He called.

One pulled over and Jason pulled open the door for me.

"After you," He said.

I hate taxis more than trains. And that's saying something. Eventually, we arrived at a building that didn't look different than any other, but Nico grinned like a child.

"Here you go." He said handing the driver money.

We stepped out and Nico led us into the building.

It was a nice lobby with a big desk in front.

Nico walked up to the desk.

"Can you tell Sally Jackson, Nico wants to see her?" He told the woman at the desk.

"Sure," The woman said and pressed a button. "Ms. Jackson. A Nico is here to see you. Mhmm. I'll send him up."

"Thank you." Nico said to her.

"Third floo…"

"Third floor, second room." Nico cut her off. "I know."

Another elevator. Great.

"Ari." Nico said jokingly. "You are the only person I know, that when they say they fought with love, can actually mean it."

"Another accomplishment." I joked. "I've looked Death in the eye. Punched Fear in the face. And now I've fought Love."

There was no more conversation as the little room went up.

There was a ding and the door opened. It opened to a hallway of doors. Nico walked to a door marked 31 and knocked.

The door opened to reveal a middle aged woman with a huge smile.

"Nico." She said. "I'm glad you didn't take the fire escape this time." 

**(A/N I think this will have two more chapters then be done. I have decided the title for the sequel. It is ****The Daughter of Death: The Road to Redemption.**** Please review, try my new one-shots, and keep reading.)**


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